Canoe with steerable pontoon



v J. D. STITES CANOE WITH STEERABLE PONTOON July 24, 1928. 1,678,023

"Filed J y-9, 1926 n 5360 INVE.NTOR.V 68 Joseph D. ,Siziefl, I y

@WA A TTORNEY patented July 24, 19 28.

UNITED STATES J OSEPI-I D. STITES, OF WHITESTONE, NEW YORK.

CANOE WITH STEERABLE PONTOOLL Application filed July 9,

This invention relates to outrigger floats for sailing canoes and more particularly to means for steering the canoe, though it is noted that the invention is not limited to sail boats or canoes, nor in some respects even to floats or steering means.

One object of the invention isto provide a device of this kind wherein the steering is ell'ccted by floats or float carried parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or device of this kind in which steering means on opposite sides or the boat may be selectively or diflerentially operated. Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus or device of this kind by which the float may be adjusted toward or from the canoe for balancing the latter, and also vertically for boats of different heights or loads.

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally the simplicity and efliciency (it such devices and to provide a device or apparatus of this kind which is strong, durable, convenient and reliable in operation, economical to manufacture, easily attached and. detached and suitable for various sizes and styles of boats.

Still other ob ects ofthe invention will appear as the description proceeds; and while herein details of the invent-ion are described and claimed, the invention is not limited to these, since many and various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed in the broader claims. 1

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objects are shown herein in connection with an improved attachment for boats which, briefly stated, includes slide brackets on opposite sides of the boat in which is adjustably slidably mounted a slide bar disposed across the boat carrying at its opposite ends vertically adjustable elongated floats pivoted for horizontal movement. A composite steering wheel comprising forward andrear drums at will lockable together receive tensioned cables extending from the rear of the respective floats around one of the drums respectively, thence around a movable pulley at the opposite end of the bar and then to the forward end of the same float. V

In the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example, one of many possible embodiments of the invention,

1926. Serial No. 121,403.

Fig. 1 is a fragmental plan showing the attachment applied to a canoe;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the attachment, the canoe being shown in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showing the means for adjust- Fig. 6 shows a transverse vertical section,

through the slide bracket.

My improved attachment is shown in combination, with asailingcanoe or other boat lOhaving a rear seat 11. I

Forward of the seat are disposed a pair of slide brackets 12 mounted respectivel on opposite sides of the boat to the rear 0 the center thereof, each comprising a bodyportion 13 (Fig. 6) resting on the gunwales 14 and carrying downwardly projected clamping members 15 and 16 embracing the gunwales and held thereon by a set screw 17 in one of said members for clamping the members to the gunwale.

Upstanding front and rear ears 20 formed on said brackets, and upper and lower flanged rollers 21 and 22 mounted between said ears carry and guide a transverse slide bar 23 (Figs. 1 to 3 and 6) adjust-ably slidably mounted across the canoe in said brackets between the upper and lower rollers.

Vertically disposed sleeves'25 mounted on opposite ends of the bar either fixedly or for slight rotation thereon carry vertical pipes 26' (Fig; 3) vertically slidable in said sleeves and adjustably held therein setscrews 27. Vertical rods 28 rotatably mounted in the pipes respectively and having heads 29 to hold them therein carry elongated outrigger floats or pontoons 30, 31 mounted on the lower end of said rods respectively normally substantially parallel to said canoe and each having a sharp end 32 (Fig. 2) and a sharp keel-like bottom part 32 serving as a steering means or rudder as will be explained.

A thwart 35(Fig. 1) across the canoe to the rear of said bar carries a plate 36 on which'is rotatably mounted a capstan drum 37 lockable on said plate, as will be explained, and having an upwardly pointed crank 38. A cable wound several times around the capstan has its opposite ends secured near opposite ends of said bar 23, whereby when said crank is turned the bar may be moved longitudinally andeither float brought close to the canoe, as shown by the dotted lines and the other moved remote v therefrom. v i

A bracket (F 1g. 1) on the mast comprising a rearwardly pro ected lined shaft H 46 and a split collar 47 clamped on the mast carries a composite steering wheel 48 (Fig. 4) on said shaft comprising peripherally grooved forward and rear drums 49 and 50, the forward drum having spokes 51, said rear drum having arearwardly pointing handle 52 near the periphery. The wheel is held in place by a flanged screw 53.

The forward drum 49 has a rear recess 55 (Fig. 5) normally alined with said handle 52 the handle havln an axial bore havin L a V a l a 4 c a forward enlarged part 5i forming an intermediate shoulder, and a reduced gear part 58 having long and short longitudinal grooves 59 and 60 having inner end shoulders and open outer ends at the end of the handle. A bolt passed through said bore has an enlar ed iortion 66 in said enlar ed part 57 and recess 5:) and a reduced portion 67 passed through said reduced part and formed with an exterior button 68. A spring 70 compressed between said enlarged part and portion normally holds the bolt in said recess 55 for locking the drums together. A lug 71 on the side of said reduced poi .tion and engaged in the inner end of the long groove when the bolt is in the recess is adapted to. be withdrawn and caught in the short groove 60 to hold the bolt out of the recess to permit relative rotation of the drums for operating the floats selectively or differentially.

The capstan drum 37, is locked by a handle-carried bolt similar to that of Fig. 5. A tensioned cable 75 (Fig. 1) extends from the rear end of the float '30 around a the bar and thence to the forward rear and forward guide pulleys 76, 77 on the gunwale on the same side of the canoe, thence around the rear drum 50, then around a movable pulley 78 at the opposite end of end of the same float 30. I y

A similartensioned cable extends from the rear end of the float 31 around. rear and forward guide pulleys 86, 87 on the same side of the canoe, thence around the torward drum 49, then around the movable pulley 88 at the opposite end oi thebar and thence to the forward end of the same float 31.

Rotation of the steering wheel moves the ifloats angularly for steering/ When the tevaoes together, the floats may be steered separately or singly by rotating the drums separately or singly by means of the spokes 51 and handle 52.

The cables 7 5 and 85 are tensioned by the turn-buckle 89, thus preventing lost motion. between the floats and steering wheel.

By unlocking and rotating the capstan drum 37, tl e floats can be moved in either direction across theeanoe at will. As the cables '75 and 85 both meetvthe lower side of the periphery of the drums 49 and 50, when the bar is thus moved, the drums 49 and 50 rotate in the same direction and need not be locked from each other. a I v Either float may be moved close to the side of the canoe giving the other a long lever arm, which may be more than double its normal length, whereby the canoe may be more evenly'balanced regardless of the center of the load or the direction of the wind, and whereby the canoe may be brought close to its landing place for easy loading.

The floats may be separately or simul taneously turned angularly in a horizontal plane, by means of the steering wheel, and the position of the floats back of the center of the canoe permits more accurate steering and a quicker response to the steering wheel.

The floats are adjusted up and down for diil'erences in load or size of canoe and held in adjusted position by the set screw 27 (Fig. V

By unscrewing the set screw 17 (Fig. 6), the whole outrigging structure may be removed or stored within the canoe, for permitting the canoe to pass through or into narrow places or boat houses.

I claim as my invention 1. An attachment for a boat comprising supports extending from'opposite sides of the boat; floats pivoted on said supports; and means for operating said floats; the center of the floats being to the rear of the 'cen ter of the boat. l

2. An attachment for a boat comprising a bar adapted to be disposed across the boat; elongated floats pivoted for horizontal movement on opposite ends of the bar; and operating means including a steering wheel;v and cables extending from said wheel to opposite ends of the floats.

' 3. In combination with a boat, a member disposed across the boat; elongated steering means pivoted for horizontal movement on opposite ends of said member; a mast; a bracket onthe mast comprising a rearwardly projected fixed shaft and a split collar clamped on'the mast; acomposite steering wheel on said shaft comprising peripherally grooved forward and rear drums, the forward drum having spokes, said rear drum having a rearwadly pointing handle near the periphery; means for locking said drums together; and cables extending from said wheel to opposite ends ofthe respective steering means; whereby when the drums are locked together, the floats are steered in unison and when the floats are not locked together, the floats may be steered separately by rotating the drums separately.

4- An attachment for a boat comprising supports disposed at the sides of the boat; steering means pivoted on said supports; a pair of operating means respectively separately connected to the steering means; and means for locking the operating means together I for simultaneous operation of the steering means.

5. An attachment for a boat comprising a bar slidably disposed across the boat; elongated floats pivoted for horizontal movement on opposite ends of the bar; and operating means including a steering wheel, drums lockable together; and cables extending from said drums to opposite ends of the floats respectively. I

6. An attachment for a boat comprising a pair of separate steering means; and operating means including a'steering wheel including forward and rear drums the rear drum having a rearwardly pointing handle; said forward drum having a rear recess normally alined with said handle; the latter having an axial bore having a forward enlarged part forming an intermediate shoulder, and a reduced rear part having long and short longitudinal grooves having inner end shoulders and open outer ends at-the end'of the handle; a bolt passed through said bore and having an enlarged port-ion in said enlarged part and recess and a reduced portion passed through said reduced part and formed with an exterior button; a spring compressed between said enlarged part and portion for normally holding the bolt in said recess for locking the drums together; a lug on the side of said reduced portion and engaged in the inner end of the long groove when the bolt is in the recess and adapted to be with drawn and caught in the short groove to hold the bolt out of the recess; and cables extending from said drums to the steering means respectively.

7. An attachment for a boat comprising a slide bar adjustably mounted across the boat; elongated floats pivoted on opposite ends of the bar: a steering wheel; forward and rear pulleys on opposite sides of said boat to the rear of said wheel; and cables extending from the rear of the respective floats around said rear and forward pulleys and said wheel and extending to the forward end of the same float.

8. An attachment for a boat comprising a bar disposed across the boat; elongated floats pivoted for horizontal movement on opposite ends of the bar; a steering wheel drum; movable pulleys near opposite ends of said bar; forward and rear grinder pulleyson opposite gunwales of the boat opposite said drums and the rear end of the floats; and tensioned cables extending from the rear end of the floats respectively around the rear and forward guide pulleys on the same side of the canoe around the drum and then around the movable pulley at the opposite end of the bar and then to the forward end of thesame boat.

9. An attachment for a boat comprising a bar disposed across the boat; vertically disposed sleeves mounted on opposite ends of the'bar'for slight rotation thereon; vertical pipe vertically adjustably slidable in said sleeves; a set screw in each sleeve holding the rod therein; vertical rods rotatably mounted in the pipes respectively and having heads to fold them therein; elongated floats or pontoons mounted on the lower end of said rods respectively normally substantially parallel to said canoe and each having a sharp bottom and ends; and operating means for rotating the floats horizontally.

10. In combination, with a sailing canoe or other boat having a rear seat, a pair of slide brackets mounted respectively on opposite sides of the boat to the rear of the center thereof,'each comprising a body portion resting on the gunwales downwardly projected clamping member embracing the gunwales a set screw in one of said members for clamping the members to the gunwale,

upstanding front and rear ears and upper and lowerflanged rollers mounted between said ears; a transverse slide bar adjustably slidably mounted across the canoe in said brackets between the upper and lower rollers; and mean-s for holding the bar in adlijusted position; and floats on the ends of the 11. An attachment for a boat comprising a bar slidably disposed. across the boat; floats on opposite ends of the bar; a thwart to the rear of said bar; a plate on said thwart;

a capstan drum rotatably mounted on said plate and lockable thereon and having an upwardly pointed crank; and a cable wound several times around the capstan and having opposite ends secured near opposite ends of said bar whereby when said crank is turned the bar may be moved longitudinally and either float brought close to the canoe and the other moved away therefrom.

12. An attachment for a boat comprising a bar mounted across the boat; elongated floats pivoted on opposite ends of the bar; a steering wheel comprising drums lockable together; pulleys near opposite ends of said bar; and cables extending from the rear of the respective floats around one of the drums respectively and to the forward end of the same float; said cables meeting said drums at the same side of the periphery thereof.

13. An attachment for a boat comprising a bar adjustably slidably mounted across the boat; elongated floats pivoted for horizontal movement on opposite ends of the bar; a

steering wheel comprising drums lockable to- .pivotally movable horizontally; said pontoons being in alinement and spaced away equi-distant from the sides of the hull; means for raising or lowering the pontoons; and means for concurrently pivotally moving the pontoons so that they are disposed parallel to each other at an angle to the keel of the hull for steering the hull.

15. In combination, a boat hull; a pontoon supported on each side of said hull normally parallel to the keel ofthe hull and spaced away from the side of the hull and pivotally movable horizontally; said pontoons being in alinement and normally spaced away equi-distant from the sides of the hull; means for moving either otsaid pontoons inwardly sidewise towards the side ofthe hull for landing purposes; and means for concurrently pivotally moving the pontoons when they are equidistant from the sides-of the hull so that they are disposed parallel to each other at an angle to the keel of the hull for steering the hull.

l6. Incombination, a boat hull; a bar supported on said hull transversely thereof and extending beyond the sides of the hull; a pontoon on each end of said bar and pivotally movable horizontally; the pontoons being parallel to each other and spaced away equidistant from the sides of the hull; means for raising or lowering the pontoons; and means for concurrently pivotally moving the pontoons so that they are disposed parallel to each other at an angle tothe keel of the hull for steering the hull.

17. In combination, a boat hull; a bar.

slidably supported on said hull transversely thereof and extending beyond the sides of the hull; a pontoon on each end of said bar and pivotally movable horizontally; the pontoons being parallel to each other and normally spaced away equi-distant from the sides of the hull; means for slidably moving said bar and thereby moving either of said pontoons sidewise inwardly towards the hull iorlanding purposes; and means for concurrently moving the pontoons when they are equidistant from the sides of the hull so that they are disposed parallel to each other at an angle to the keel of the hull for steering the hull. v I

Signed at Long Island City, in the county of Queens and State of New York, this 29th day of June A. D. 1926. p i

JOSEPH D. STITES. 

